The Ukrainian people led by President Zelenskyy receive the Sakharov Prize

ALONA MAZURENKO – WEDNESDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2022, 17:33

In 2022, the Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was awarded to the Ukrainian people.

Source: press service of European People's Party, Rikard Jozwiak, Brussels correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Quote from Rikard Jozwiak: "as expected: ‘the brave Ukrainian people represented by their president, elected leaders, and civil society’ has won this year's Sakharov Prize".

Details: Ukrainians were congratulated on the victory by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. In announcing the award, she noted that Ukrainians are defending democracy, freedom and the rule of law and are risking their lives for the sake of Europe, so no one is more deserving of this award.

Quote from Metsola: "This award is for those Ukrainians who are fighting on the ground. For those who were forced to flee. For those who have lost relatives and friends. For all those who stand up and fight for what they believe in. I know that the brave people of Ukraine will not give up and  neither will we."

The European People's Party nominated the brave Ukrainian people and their President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the award.

The S&D and Renew Europe political groups [in the European Parliament - ed.] nominated the people of Ukraine, emphasising the role of individuals, representatives of civil society, and state and public institutions.

The latter nomination mentions, amongst others, the State Emergency Services of Ukraine; Yuliia Paievska, founder of the evacuation medical unit Angels of Taira; human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk, whose organisation "Center for Civil Liberties" received this year’s Nobel Peace Prize; the Yellow Ribbon Civil Resistance Movement; and Ivan Fedorov, mayor of the temporarily occupied city of Melitopol.

The Sakharov Prize will be awarded on 14 December in Strasbourg.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the main European Union award in the field of human rights.

Last year, the Sakharov Prize was awarded to the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in 2020 to representatives of the Belarusian opposition, and in 2018 to Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov.

Reference: The Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded annually by the European Parliament. It was established in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The prize is named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, and the prize money is 50,000 euros.

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